View allAll Photos Tagged Overthinking
Maghera, Ardara, County Donegal, Ireland
Far away from everything else in this bustling world stands ‘Assaranca Waterfall’. It perfectly crowns the west coast of Donegal. In my personal opinion it’s by far one of the most impressive & stunning waterfalls in all Ireland. The true beauty of this waterfall isn't only in itself but all around it, on the sandy beaches & valleys nearby.
I wish I could tell you all a great story about this waterfall but I’m afraid all I could find during my research was the meaning of its mystical sounding name.
Whoever named this famous landmark of Donegal certainly didn’t want to strain their minds overthinking on it, as the Gaelic word ‘Assaranca’ translates to the English word ‘Waterfall’ 😂
The truth is that something so beautiful doesn't really need a fancy name or even a name at all to be appreciated by everyone who witnesses it.......
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Here is one that I am quite pleased with how it came out. Finally having clouds instead of blank blue skies and drought. The morning started with fog being lifted by the sun and these clouds All day long. Problem was that I couldn't figure out where to go. So much overthinking and never actually leaving. So this local barn was an answer to stay local. Also will post a good one of the Poole house soon.
3/4 DC Superhero Girls Wonder Woman
3/9 Cedar Wood
3/12 Mirror Beach Ashlynn Ella
3/12 Duchess Swan
3/12 Madeline Hatter
3/12 Briar Beauty
3/19 Raven Queen
3/20 Dragon Games Raven Queen
3/29 DC Superhero Girls Bumblebee
-Another great month for dolls 😬. I've literally been drooling over DC Superhero Girls for MONTHS, so I was happy when I got Wonder Woman. I'm obsessed! Their hair is super silky, and has no product. I can't wait to get the rest.
- I ordered Cedar Wood first edition because I decided to get the basics for EAH (as you can see, I started last month with Faybelle), Cedar was one of those who I was sure I would have to overpay for their first edition. One morning however, I woke up and checked eBay and saw a great listing for a great price so I didn't overthink and just bought her. I'm glad I did, she came quickly and is quite beautiful, no wonder people overpay for her first edition.
- I had actually won Duchess Swan and MB Ashlynn on an eBay auction back towards the end of February and took them 2 weeks to get here. I was a bit bummed out, for $9 shipping, I would've expected it to get here sooner, plus when I opened Duchess, her lipstick was smudged 😐. It's a shame considering she's one of my favorite characters, either way though, still a beauty. I didn't really care for Ashlynn though, she was just a bonus for getting Duchess.
-Next, I bought Maddie and Briar! They came together, for $36 they were a great price in my opinion.
- I also ordered Raven about a week later (don't you just love eBay?!), my mom actually bought her for me. She, like Cedar, was one of those characters I knew I would have to overpay for, but I very luckily stumbled upon a great listing and found her for $20. She's perfect, and her hair is so silky, AND she completed the original 4!
- My mom and I went to a strip mall with a Ross, Marshalls and Kmart all next to each other. They had SO MANY COOL DOLLS AT ROSS (Sugar Coated, Rosabella, Way Too Wonderland), but I decided to control myself and check my options. Marshalls only had a bunch of Amanita Nightshades. But at Kmart I found what I was looking for, Dragon Games! I want to complete the set ASAP, since Mattel has been shipping out new batches of DG dolls that don't come with brushes or stands. There, they only had a bunch of Hollys and one single Raven so I snatcher up. When the cashier scanned her, she rang up to be $10! A great price don't you think? If Darling was there, I would've gone back to get her too.
-Last but not least, DC Superhero Girls Bumblebee. She's my second favorite doll from the line-up, and it seems that everyone's target is either cleared out of DCSHG, or only has tons of Bumblebees. At my Target, there was a bunch of her and one Ivy, but Bumble is my girl!
Over all I'm pleased with this month, next month, I hope to continue getting the signature EAH characters and getting some more superheroes. Right now, Signature Cerise, Blondie and Cupid are at the top of my priority list. Also, I hope to find more of the DC Superhero Girls Dolls and Figures (at first, I had absolutely no interest in the figures, but taking a second look at them, I actually quite like them, and like the weirdo that I am, I'll probably carry them around with them everywhere.)
14 05 22
Orange for youth
Ignorance in tangerine
a burnt dream
one I used to love
electric blue is now
current and alive
I feel and hold
reluctant insanity
dead darkness
a future yet
to be painted
an unloved
unknowable
sarcastic
sadistic
endless
scream
reset expectations
regulate reams
undo undids
until decades
decant
into memories
shrug with chocolate
run until sickness
stare into pain
think overthink
talk to them
need someone
sink
-
I take a self portrait and write a poem for my birthdays. Today is such a day.
Savage Scripture
Dear Kings
They Will always Seek your Crown, They will always Want your Kingdom, They will always want the Prize you have. Heavy is the Head, that saying has never been truer than this day and age But, Remember this, You are The King of yours, and you are a God amongst These Weaker men, Hold that Heavy Head up, and Step over them as we should. Never sacrifice your Shine!
WEEK 39 – Covington Kroger Closing, Set 2
(cont.) …next door in another nearby aisle, we find some millennium-era green warehouse-style shelving to match. This all harkens back to my discussion from three photos ago (aka the top of today’s set), where I mentioned that I’m not sure whether or not this store had millennium décor at any point before its script décor days. Since millennium was immediately followed by script, such a quick turnaround in décor packages would seem strange; however, it’s also worth noting that millennium was around as early as the late 90s, so if theoretically this store was remodeled to it right around that time, another remodel in 2007 wouldn’t feel too far out of the question.
All of that said, however, another, much simpler possibility that I’m just now realizing would probably be the best explanation: it could very well be that these shelves were brought into the store separate from any major décor swap, and it’s simply because they were introduced during the millennium décor *era* that they bear those colors. Nothing says the walls ever actually had to match the shelves, haha! (As always, I tend to overthink these sorts of things XD )
(c) 2021 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
I wanted to call this photo stuck in endless looping overthinking thoughts as I walk. Granted I think during this walk I was only focused on photos so the night is a requiem of peace and the overthinking comes during the day.
Well, Toa Onuku is coming along well, I hope. I'm probably overthinking his design just a little...
I've made several rough sketches of my ideas for him to iron out the details, and then I made a proportions sketch on graph paper, something I haven't done since Surek (and that one failed miserably). It helps to figure out the pieces I want to use.
The actual MOC sitting there is really rough, but I'm liking how it is looking so far. The Throwbot feet really complete that Bohrok shield chestplate, the Huna is making a better shoulderpad than I thought, and the System pieces in the stomach promise to be interesting. I can't wait until I finish, but I think I'll need a few Bricklink orders before then.
Prompts: Sittin' in the garden, I'm a couple glasses in. I was tryna count up all the places we've been. You're always there, so don't overthink. I'm so over whites and pinks --ar 16:9 --v 5.2
Made with #midjourney #photoshop
Thank you for your visit, faves, and kind comments. 😊
This picture shows a female avatar having a revenge on another female avatar. And it has nothing to do with what's going on in my Second Life at the moment, so don't overthink it ! ;).
I find this style more witchy than deadly but that coffin was waiting for me there and I REALLY had to do something with that ! For the RL thanatophobic person I am, this shot wasn't that easy. You go like "yes, but do I want to stare at a coffin for minutes as I'm overworking those pics in photoshop ?". Anyways, this look is all but recycling, for once ! It doesn't include so much older items but a lot of group gifts from different stores so you can make yourself fabulous and less expensive at the same time. Isn't that wonderful ? Yes it is !
I am wearing the crop shirt and tank from ISON I showed yesterday in another outfit, this one in a very dark version : shows how versatile SL items can be !
The Revenge outfit has been created using :
Body/Head/Shape :
Body : Legacy (f 1.3)
Head + Piercings : Lelutka Evo Head Fleur 2.5
Custom homemade shape
Skin, Make-up, Hair & Nails :
Skin : PUMEC Nadya RARE 1 January + body skin (
Eyeshadow : Velour Winnie in grey
Lipstick : IDTTY Wild Babe 6
Blush : Essences Blush Contour Middle Peach
Eyebags : Izzie's Eyebags
Smeared mascara : Izzie's smeared mascara
Nose blood : Izzie's bloody nose dark
Scar : Suicidal Unborn Scar #01 tone 7 left (group gift)
Eyes L&R : Suicidal Unborn Nova (group gift)
Tattoo : Mister Razzor Bonnie tattoo 75%
Hair : DOUX Cyanna Hairstyle (Equal 10 2021/01)
Ears : PUMEC Gothic Longing mesh ears (group gift)
Knee wounds : Izzie's Knee Wounds
Outfit & accessories :
Nails : Nylon Outfitters Art Nails - murderer
Glasses : Triggered Witchcraft glasses
Rings : Cultxx Midnight rings (FAMESHED)
Leg warmers : Cultxx Poe (were on sale last weekend !)
Shorts : Asteroidbox Natalia shorts with fishnet & garters (Equal10 2021/01)
Tops : ISON dayami tank & crop shirt in black (Collabor88 2021/01)
Shoes : Ricielli Adira Shoes (I think I found it at Cosmopolitan 2021/01 but have a check !)
NB : My blog is migrating to another platform. Use Flickr until further notice :)
Forgive my lack of imagination in titling but I needed to get this out in a hurry! Finesmith has an amazing new release and it's half price only until 9 pm slt tonight, Jan 16th! This jewelery set is Finesmith Roxaane in onyx. It also comes in pink and diamond. But you can't overthink it. Just go and grab this amazing jewelry set that will give you classic style as well as artistic avant garde styles. retro styles too, you see. and goth! ;)
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Azure%20Island/114/205/8
You also see the new Castiel dress and fur set, "russian doll" which I adore. this comes in white too! I will be showing this off more soon!
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Ocelot%20Valley/56/22/0
and I LOVE No. 7 stores amazing makeup lines!!! Look at this beautiful circus boop makeup!
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SAIKIN/145/104/699
also showing the Glam Affair lashes which are now in store!
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Beauty%20Avatar%20couture/...
This skin is no longer available but shows the amazing tone "Ghost Milk" from cStar. you can always hunt around in store for this tone and if you are lucky find a resold copy of this Hurricane skin in store, or fill out a skin request notecard for it!
maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Charmed%20Death/192/63/1033
woots! *rushes off and leaves fur tufts in the air* (no time to properly blog)
CALLED: 6/22
''Last week, I received 9th which I think is really good. I mean 9 out of 23, that kinda good. This week it was all about nude! We all had to be nude and for me it wasn't a problem. I am really comfortable with my body so I really like this photoshoot. The judges said that I needed to practice my poses and mix it up a little bit so I tried to look more sophisticated and not overthink it and just let my eyes do the work.''
I was actually thinking about doing a big afro on Alexandria but I really wanted her eyes to pop so I thought that maybe the afro would outshine her. I think this option is much better than the other one. The settings is better and and the quality is also better.
Hope you like it ;)
Ecume : Why are people so resentful to me?
Melissa : Don't ask yourself too many questions, move forward and keep going
Magheraclogher Strand, Bunbeg, Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland
Cara Na Mara (Friend of the sea) or Bád Eddie are the names given to this old wreck resting on Magheraclogher Beach along Donegal's Wild Atlantic Way. The Cara Na Mara fishing vessel ran into trouble & was beached here in the early 1970s never to move another inch since. The boat has now deteriorated rapidly, sadly one half of the boat is almost gone completely.
I feel somewhat saddened at Bad Eddie having to watch other boats sail past each day, admittedly I’m overthinking again & I do understand the boat doesn’t have actual feelings but everyone who has grew up visiting & respecting the Bad Eddie shipwreck over the past 50 years does. I’m not ashamed to admit that I feel emotional each time I visit nowadays knowing her days are now numbered. It’s only a matter of time before she is broken up & taken by the sea forever....
On the beach front whilst talking to my mate I noticed this stunning red sailed yacht travelling through the water on a path towards the Bad Eddie Shipwreck. Within a flash I ignorantly left the man standing talking to himself! Ran to my car, swapped over lenses to my tele-zoom & belted straight onto the beach. I was now obsessed knowing there were only mere seconds to compose & align this scene up before it had passed. To keep steady & capture the yacht exactly in place I instinctively started walking sideways like a crab whilst holding my breath to minimise camera shake. During & afterwards I could here a few onlookers laughing at my “crab walk” across the beach. Sometimes to get the shot you simply need to completely embarrass yourself in front of everyone lol
I hope she lasts just another year odd, so in 2020 we can all celebrate the “Bad Eddie Shipwreck 50th Anniversary” of being stranded here in Gweedore.
Hope you enjoy! Please Favourite & Follow to view my newest upcoming works, Thank you
I will remember you
Until the skies are cloudless
You're in my heart it's true
And, I will keep you there
I will remember you
Though storms assail this desert
And skies are drained of blue
I will remember you
This is my dad's grave. No stone, no marker. Nothing to indicate anyone is buried here, let alone who it is. I came right to the correct spot, but, was confused that there was nothing here but sand. Perplexed, I drove back to the cemetery office to ask for assistance. They printed a number of things, and told me how to use the plot map. Turns out I was at the correct spot. There was no marker. Wondering just exactly what was going on, I called my sister in Saskatchewan, who spends half of the year in Casa Grande to ask if there was supposed to be a marker. Apparently, mom never made the final decision. Hunh? And, you never thought to help her do that? Ok, I didn't say that to her, but, I did think it. lol It made me feel sad, very sad for Dad. He never sought recognition in life, but, it seems now, he's condemned to be lost to memory in death. It also seems likely that no one has been to his grave since we buried him in January of 2013. I know, I know, Jon's overthinking. Again. His body actually lies between the camera and his honor flag. Ordinarily, I would never allow a flag to touch the ground, but, this seemed a unique situation. No disrespect intended, obviously. It was to honor my dad, and his Air Force service. He ended his service as a Staff Sergeant. Now, he lies beneath the sands of the desert that he so dearly loved. As long as I am able, Dad, I will remember you.
I was on my way home when I met Marvin, he was going in the opposite direction and I felt like he was someone I’d like to talk to. I didn’t hesitate or think about it, something which I can’t really really explain as I tend to overthink my strangers choice so hopefully a lesson learned. I just said hello and asked him if he’d take part in my 100 strangers project which I explained in a few words. Marvin accepted and was kind enough to walk with me for a while in order to find a less animated street and a better background.
As we were walking Marvin told me he was working in animation films, we talked about briefly about Japanese animation films. Marvin has worked on video clips but wants to focus more on his own projects as a filmmaker. We got to talking about photography and Marvin told me about two photographers I didn’t know and whose work I looked up afterwards, Jamel Shabazz and Larry Clark.
The sun was shining bright and rather low which caused the issue of the sun blinding Marvin, something I often fail to foresee and which I should keep in mind for the future. Out of the few pictures I took, Marvin prefers this one to the ones where he’s smiling, a choice I respect even though he’s got a great smile ! Talking with him was very interesting and encouraging. He gave me a lot of confidence about this project.
I should have found a composition without the tree in the background, just blue sky. But at least this time there’s less headspace.
Thank you very much Marvin !
This picture is #6 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 1st submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
J’étais en train de rentrer chez moi quand j’ai rencontré Marvin, il allait dans la direction opposée et j’ai eu le sentiment que c’était quelqu’un avec qui j’aimerais parler. Je n’ai pas hésité, je ne peux pas expliquer cette absence d’hésitation puisque d’habitude j’ai tendance à trop réfléchir lorsqu’il s’agit de prendre ma décision pour aborder des inconnus, j’espère donc avoir appris la leçon. J’ai juste dit bonjour et je lui ai demandé s’il aimerait participer à mon projet 100 strangers que je lui ai expliqué en quelques mots. Marvin a accepté et il a eu la gentillesse de marcher avec moi pour trouver une rue moins animée et un meilleur arrière plan.
Alors que nous marchions, Marvin m’a dit qu’il travaillait dans le film d’animation, nous avons brièvement parlé de films d’animation japonais. Marvin a travaillé sur des clips vidéos mais il veut se concentrer sur ses projets personnels en tant que réalisateur. Nous en sommes venus à parler de photographie et Marvin m’a parlé de Jamel Shabazz et de Larry Clark que je ne connaissais pas et dont j’ai ensuite consulté le travail.
Le soleil brillait et était bas sur l’horizon ce qui posait problème du fait que Marvin était ébloui, quelque chose que j’ai parfois du mal à anticiper et que je devrai garder à l’esprit à l’avenir. Des photos que j’ai prise de lui, Marvin préfère celle où il ne sourit pas, un choix que je respecte même si je trouve qu’il a un super sourire. Parler avec lui a été intéressant et encourageant. Il m’a donné beaucoup de confiance pour ce projet.
J’aurais du trouver une composition où l’arrière plan ne contienne pas le feuillage de cet arbre. Au moins cette fois, j’ai pensé à ne pas laisser trop d’espace au dessus de sa tête.
Merci beaucoup Marvin !
Cette photo est la #6 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma première participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe The Human Family
This was an outtake from my "Don't Blink" shoot, but thinking about it for the past couple of months, I think it fits the song "Over Thinking," by Relient K, in my Inspired by Relient K series.
"I was thinking
Over thinking
Cause there's just too many scenarios
To think about
To figure out
If you're my dream please come true"
"Over Thinking" by Relient K.
I've really grown to love this photo.
If you have a favorite song by Relient K that you want me to do, let me know!
Find me on Facebook Tumblr 500px And now even Instagram: CallanLoves
Also, please disregard my previous photo of my Guidonian Hand. It's for my Music History and Analysis class, and will be deleted soon.
So I say to myself..."Self, stop overthinking everything. Not every photo can be the best one ever. Nor even the second best one ever. By definition, a good many of the photos are just 'average'. This one is average, at best.
But many photos languish, unprocessed, because they don't seem to be quite good enough. The pressure is to always try to come up with BETTER photos...pushing the average ones farther into limbo."
So this average shot, made in the dark woods, as a quick grab shot, finally sees the light of day. A few hours at the top of the stream, then back into a different kind of limbo.
SOOC @ Gothenburg.
I like how JPGs from my trusty Fuji camera are fun and usable and I can quickly transfer to my phone and easily share. I’ll overthink the raw files after the vacations. 😌
This one came fairly quickly so I've been debating whether it's any good or not. I do think sometimes a good work does happen quickly, you just take it and don't try to overthink too much.
Back in July I posted a different version of this same pic (flic.kr/p/wzZLvc), but that was like the fourth edit, and I should have stuck with the first edit that I'm now posting. I find myself thinking too much when I'm out shooting, and sometimes this overthinking overwhelms me in post as well. I really need to stop second guessing myself sometimes.............
Resist-dyed and mono-printed habotai silk - 40cm x 45cm.
I described to someone recently that I'm in a 'pure state of creativity' ... in that as far as possible I'm creating for the love of creating, without overthinking what the end result should be, or whether it'll sell, how much it'll cost to frame etc ...
The reply came back that this is about the right state to find myself in ...
the rest will follow ...
This will be my last post for a bit. Don't know how long. Feel free to stop reading at any time, this may get ramblicious. There are many reasons, all to do with self. Less said, the better. I thought this was appropriate given the stunning sunflower pix many of you have posted at the tail end of summer. This is my sunflower effort, so, I guess that speaks volumes right there. lol Nice in its own simple way, its a muralistic painting on a fence beside a cottage in Port Stanley. I kind of feel like this painting. Old, tired, a failure, way past my best before date. lol Some of you know that I tend to overthink things. That's a more than accurate observation. (As if more than accurate were possible. lol) I'm still going to come by and fave your fantastic photos, and, eventually, comment on them again. I don't know how long before I post again. Maybe tomorrow. lol Maybe a week from now. Maybe a month. I dunno. As always, have a grand day. Ohh, don't feel the need to respond on here. I'm not looking for support, or answers, or sympathy. Just wanted you to know where I'm coming down right now, and, that I won't be posting. It's not because I'm dead. ;-)
I've been home since March the 14th since the store I work in,closed and got out only for the necessities.
Who would have thought that this tragic times would come.
I try to be as positive as I can but I am a person who overthinks everything and it's very difficult for me not to have breakdowns with the situation we're in.
From this day I will be alone all day since my love is working again,so I've decided to try something like a photo journal of what its going on while i stay home.
Stay home.Stay safe.
I agonized over this and by agonized I mean I sat and look at this photo wondering what does it mean? What should the title be? Why am I posting this? The answer is...why am I thinking that hard about it? The overthinking button was pressed and pressed hard. This is near an elementary school and several churches and a lake. I've seen this same scene over and over. It's strange to post it because this could be one of many moments I've captured or didn't capture. I've remained in this same place so long that it blends together. We are going into fall. The rain is waiting to turn to snow.
I managed to get the scale focus on point here at f3.5, wide open, it was a dark corner, of course as soon as I loaded 125 iso film the clouds rolled in with a vengeance. It may have been f5.6 I gave up note taking ages ago, I thought it was overthinking and spoiled spontaneity.
And yes, placing the seed head in the dark patch in the lower centre third was deliberate, sometimes serendipity needs a nudge.
Prompts: Sittin' in the garden, I'm a couple glasses in I was tryna count up all the places we've been You're always there, so don't overthink I'm so over whites and pinks.
Made with #midjourney
Thank you for your visit, faves, and kind comments. 😊
Stranger #95 – Antoine
“I work for an internet service provider. I’m on holiday. As you can see I like to geek on video games, anime, I do a lot of retro gaming. These days I’m replaying every pokemon cartridge one after the other. Something I’d like to tell my younger self? Stop overthinking stuff. I used to overthink a lot. I think too much. I still think but I don’t overthink things any more.”
“What brought about this change?”
“Well, I almost died. I got hit by a car. When I woke up from a coma I told myself I had to seize life with both hands. That’s what I’m trying to do. It’s going rather well for me. Do I still have faith in humanity? Yes, I do have faith in humanity. I have faith in humans, in people. Sometimes people prove me wrong by their actions but I keep faith. What’s the craziest thing I’ve done? It was on a whim. I used to live in Le Mans, my girlfriend and I were supposed to come to Caen. On the road, she asked me Do you want to go on holiday there or do you want to go and live there? I told her I wanted to go and live there. The next week I found a job here, we’ve been here for five years now.”
When I approached Antoine, he was alone and I didn't have anyone to hold my reflector so I just asked someone who was sitting nearby who was kind enough to help me out.
Thank you very much Antoine!
This picture is #95 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
This is my 90th submission to the Human Family Group. To view more street portraits and stories visit The Human Family Flickr Group page
“Je travaille pour un fournisseur d’accès internet, là je suis en vacances. Comme tu vois, j’aime geeker sur les jeux vidéos, sur les anime. Je fais beaucoup de rétro gaming. Là en ce moment, je suis en train de me refaire toutes les cartouches pokemon les uns après les autres. Un conseil à moi même quand j’étais plus jeune? Arrête de te prendre la tête. Je me prenais beaucoup la tête, je réfléchissais trop. Je réfléchis toujours mais je me prends pas la tête.”
“Qu’est ce qui a fait que tu as changé?”
“J’ai failli mourir en fait. Je me suis fait renversé par une voiture. Quand je me suis réveillé du coma, je me suis dit il faut prendre la vie à deux mains. C’est ce que j’essaie de faire et ça me réussit pas trop mal. Est-ce que j’ai foi en l’humanité? Oui, j’ai foi en l’humanité, j’ai foi en l’humain, dans les gens. Des fois les gens me donnent tort par leurs actions mais je continue. Le truc le plus fou que j’ai fait? C’était sur un coup de tête. Je vivais au Mans. Avec ma copine on devait partir en vacances à Caen. Sur la route, ma copine me demande tu veux y aller en vacances ou pour y vivre? Je lui ai dit pour y vivre. La semaine suivante, je trouvais un taf à Caen et ça fait 5 ans qu’on y est.”
Antoine était seul lorsque je l'ai abordé. J'ai demandé à quelqu'un qui était assis pas très loin s'il aurait la gentillesse de me tenir le réflecteur.
Merci beaucoup Antoine!
Cette photo est la #95 dans mon projet 100 strangers. Apprenez-en plus au sujet du projet et visionnez les photos prises par d’autres photographes sur la page Flickr du groupe 100 Strangers
C’est ma 90ème participation au groupe The Human Family. Pour voir plus de portraits de rue et d’histoires, visitez la page Flickr du groupe
What is it to be lonely? What is it to feel empty? It is funny to me how sometimes both being lonely and empty aren't negatives because sometimes you seek to feel empty and lonely because you perceive them as different feelings. I enjoy being alone and sometimes that "emptiness" is being content, not distracted by a circus of feelings that are old trying to make themselves brand new and fun.
This is why I love the night and night drives. Yes, sometimes the night presents itself as a way to overthink about the world that is normally presented with a sun on a dish. The night can also be a way to slip between as if it is a purgatory to escape the past and not worry about the future. The night is a way to drift in the familiar place you know with less people enjoying a quiet before everything reverts back.
WEEK 39 – Covington Kroger Closing, Set 2
We are continuing our circuit around the closing Covington Kroger this week, beginning with this shot looking down the (pretty dang desolate) rear actionway. I do want to emphasize the word “closing” in that sentence… I fear if I didn’t tell y’all that, it wouldn’t be obvious from the pictures at all. The usual big yellow closeout signs that I had seen at past Delta Division store closures were nowhere to be found here in Covington, and indeed have been absent from all the other closures in Arkansas that I visited earlier this year, too. Not only that, but the associated discounts also seem to have been eliminated… embarrassingly, I was actually complaining about that to my dad while in this store, not realizing there was an employee nearby who likely overheard me! I know a lot of people who visit store closures are out only for deals and couldn’t care less about the employees losing their jobs, so I sure hope I didn’t give off that impression to him. Still, though, it’s certainly an interesting change in M.O.
My first inclination is to think that this, too, has to do with the major backlash from the 2018 closures… i.e., if we don’t make the closures obvious while shoppers are in the store, maybe it will get less social media attention and fly under the radar. Of course, it could just as easily be that I’m overthinking it, and the lack of discounts is simply because Kroger Delta has gotten stingy and doesn’t want to discount everything anymore. Hard to tell if that’s the full-on driver or just an added benefit.
(c) 2021 Retail Retell
These places are public so these photos are too, but just as I tell where they came from, I'd appreciate if you'd say who :)
Written by my sister: It took us far too long to get into Monster High. While, in many ways, we weren't really that different than we are now, we did still analyze things too much before diving into them. Part of it is we were letting ourselves be influenced by the wrong collectors online and we had this idea that you had to be selective. Also, I think, at the back of my mind, I had the same notion that a lot of people still have to this day--that you can't be into too many things at the same time. I was afraid that Monster High would cut too much into our limited funds for buying dolls. Shelly said, not long after we finally got into them in March of 2013, that Monster High already meant something to her because, while Bratz and Disney were something we'd collected with Dad's involvement, this was something we'd gotten into together alone and it made her think of memories of the two of us. I don't know how long it took for me to feel the same way, but Abbey evokes these feelings especially strongly for me.
I always really liked Abbey Bominable--her face is really charming and sort of silly. I've also always liked glitter, so a doll with glittery skin held lots of appeal. Scaris Abbey and Dead Tired Abbey were two of our first Monster High dolls ever. Scaris Abbey was purchased at our local Walmart and Dead Tired Abbey at a Family Dollar. Looking at Abbey Bominable, I can't help but really remember those early days of it being just the two of us. Admittedly, we weren't working but spent a lot of time doll shopping. We liked to go to areas that had several stores and try to catch multiple toy sales. But when it comes to Abbey, I remember the laughter a lot when I look at her. Dead Tired Abbey's box had a speech bubble somewhere on it that said, "Isth Abbey's first sleepover." We made fun of that a lot, starting sentences like, "Isth Abbey..." Even now, we still sometimes say stuff like that without thinking about it. Another fond, funny memory is of one of our outings to Toys R Us. I was very taken with Scaris Abbey, she's probably still my favorite Abbey and one of my very favorite Monster High dolls of all time. I just think she's so adorable. So, one day, when we were going to drive to Toys R Us, I wanted to take Abbey on the car ride and Shelly wanted to take Chad, her Punkz Dylan doll. It was very silly, taking two of our dolls on a car ride for absolutely no reason. It's one of my favorite dolly memories from that time. Another Abbey that I remember super vividly is Roller Maze. I remember the day we picked her out at Target. Even though we were broke and unemployed, we managed to sell this big, ugly trailer of dad's from the yard and got a small fortune from it. (We were just so relieved to be rid of the trailer that we'd have unloaded it for free--some new rule had passed in town because all the fancy pants people didn't want their neighborhood uglified by big storage trailers. We were afraid to get in trouble for having it in the yard.) We celebrated our good luck and newfound wealth by driving off to Target that very evening and buying a small pile of Monster High dolls, including Roller Maze Abbey.
One of my biggest Monster High memories is of the Home Ick Double the Recipe Abbey and Heath set. Shelly fell in love with both "Classroom" packs when she first saw stock images. However, our preorder on Target fell through. (Leaving me a preorder cynic for the rest of my life. I don't think I preordered anything again until 2021!) Knowing how important the quartet was to Shelly, I started making phone calls immediately after the dolls were actually released. Scalping was bad back then--people were buying entire cases of Monster High dolls only to resell them for huge money. It was especially bad with boy dolls, but some girl dolls were hard to find too. I don't know how long it actually took me to get the dolls, but I know I made a lot of calls before I even found the Mad Science pack with Cleo and Ghoulia. I remember that phone call vividly--Because Heath was so desirable, a lot of people didn't care about any of the girl dolls from the line. When the lady told me, "We only have the pack with the two girls," she sounded like she was delivering tragic news like "Your car is totaled" or "I'm afraid you need major surgery." She sounded REALLY surprised when I replied, positively ECSTATIC, "That's great! Can you hold them? We'll come get them right away!" It took me longer to finally track Heath and Abbey down at Target. (The girls were at a Toys R Us.) I remember the drive vividly--We witnessed a really scary collision. Even though it appeared both people in the damaged car were conscious (a good sign), it was terrifying. I always felt sorry for Abbey--due to all the Heath Hype, nobody really cared about poor Abbey. And she's such a special, adorable Abbey, one of the most awesome. I love her hair style. However, even in our home, Heath makes more cameos. We've got so many more Abbeys to choose from (the duplicated Heath is a far more recent acquisition). I tend to set her aside for Scaris, the first edition doll, and Coffin Bean.
Speaking of Coffin Bean Abbey, Shelly actually fell in love with her on first sight. Somehow, I failed to see how awesome she is until after we got our doll (and many other cool Monster High dolls) on sale at Barnes and Noble. All of a sudden, it struck me, "Shelly, you're right! She's an awesome Abbey! One of the best!" Something about her face is just so special.
Honestly, every one of our Abbeys (currently all are pictured here as of May 2022) has a story. Haunt the Casbah Abbey was the store exclusive from her line, only available at Walmart. However, Walmart naturally had a surplus and later marked them way down. As Shelly states on Abbey's fun fact, we felt lukewarm toward Abbey at first and really only bought her because she was so cheap, but how could we not fall in love? Music Festival Abbey, on the other hand, was our favorite in her line when they came out. We actually got TWO in the mail by mistake once. So, we ordered some older Monster High dolls from Kmart (like the original Dead Tired dolls). They said those dolls were in stock, but they weren't. Instead, they sent us a random box including two Music Festival Abbeys and at least one Music Festival Clawdeen. (Or maybe it was two Clawdeens and one Abbey or two of each...but basically, a random assortment of dolls we didn't order, some duplicated.) Because none of the dolls were what we asked for and we didn't need more than one of any of them, we returned them to the nearest Kmart store and used the money to buy Bratzillaz. It worked out--We got ours, sometime later, for half price at Barnes and Noble. I Heart Fashion Abbey was a Salvation Army rescue (we were her Salvation from Salvation...poor thing). Picture Day Abbey was also thrifted, purchased from some of our favorite sellers--and she was a favorite of mine back in the days of no work, all play, much shopping. I used to talk all the time about wanting her, so she felt like an old friend when she finally joined the family. And who could forget first edition Abbey? We ordered her and the original Operetta around the same time and were delighted to get both.
Each of these girls has a story and they are part of our story: Our story as sisters living on their own for the first time. Our story as doll collectors. Contrary to how a lot of collectors think, which is "If I'm not currently buying it, it means I've lost interest," I still AM very much interested in Abbey, even though, at time of writing, it has been nearly two years since one has joined our family. Just because we haven't bought any more in a long time doesn't mean we stopped loving Abbey. Who could stop loving Abbey? If a new Abbey crossed our path for the right price, getting her would be a no-brainer. Sometimes we just don't see the right things at the right time, but it's not "Out of sight, out of mind"--I still greatly enjoy our Abbeys!
Monster High was the first new dolly interest Shelly and I delved into together after Dad passed away, followed shortly thereafter by Moxie Girlz. I agree with Shelly that Monster High holds a special significance to us because it was the first thing we did, just us. I think I personally learned from collecting them to just go with the flow and not be afraid to enjoy the ride or overthink it. It made life as a collector easier in the long run. For one thing, I learned not to say I'd "never" buy a doll type because it's a silly thing to be so set on abstaining from (I'm pretty sure one of the reasons I didn't follow Shelly's heart and get into the dolls a few months sooner is because I didn't want to go back on my word). For another, I learned that it's really FUN getting into something new--the joys of getting into Monster High isn't unlike the joy we experienced in summer of 2021 when we got into Cabbage Patch. Also, I think we both learned not to get caught up in the hype--people making it sound like you HAVE to go crazy buying new releases or you'll "never' get them. (I can't tell you how many "rare" Monster High dolls got produced in such high quantities that they hit stores in our area, and managed to stay on the shelves, long after their initial release.) I learned to think with my brain instead of letting other people do the (irrational) thinking for me. And Abbey--her face is such a huge part of the journey, from the very first couple dolls we bought (like Scaris) all the way to finding them secondhand after they weren't in stores anymore. I can't look at any of our earlier Abbeys without remembering spring 2013 and our adventures!
.....gain a whole new perspective.
This is one of the shots I took at Universal Studios, on our last visit, using only the telephoto lens. It was kinda scary committing to a single lens like this, but I am so pleased with some of the shots I took. You can’t see these details on the dragon with only the naked eye.
I still find myself disillusioned with my photography. I can’t seem to find a theme to my captures, instead taking shots of anything and everything. I see a pretty flower, I take a shot. I see interesting architecture, I take a shot. No rhyme or reason.....I think the Lewis Hine shots have me overthinking again. (The second photo of his has been posted.)
I've always been an overthinker, and it can be quite a burden. It happens almost too often that I try to construct and predict all the possible scenarios and figure out the outcomes of a certain situation. As a result, it's difficult for me to relax and enjoy the moment. My mind is constantly in the future: a future that is neither real or certain.
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It feels like my body is being "here" and "now", but with my head is in a totally different place. And in this place, I can't actually see a darn thing - but I keep sticking my head in there, instead of keeping it the "here" and "now," together with my body.
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In the past couple of months, I've been learning to be prepared for everything, but not overthink it. I still have a long way to go... But I'm getting there. :)